Car-brake



(No Model] 0. BRESNAHAN.

GAR BRAKE. No. 592,604. Patented Oct. 26,1897.

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CORNELIUS BRESNAHAN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 592,604, dated October26, 1897. Application filed April 28, 1897- Serial 110.634.1232. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS BRESNAHAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of lVayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Brakes, of which thefollowing is a specification,reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawings.

The invention consists in the construction of a railway-truck brake, andparticularly in the construction of a rocking swiveled shoe or shoes,together with any suitable means for actuating same, and, further, inthe construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts, allas more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a car-truck frame, showingmy invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical central longitudinalsection thereof. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective illustrating aslightly-modified form of shoe, and Fig. 4 is a vertical central sectionthrough the shoe shown in Fig. 3.

A represents a truck-frame-as, forinstance, a truck-frame of astreet-car.

My invention may be applied to any form of car or to any of the usualforms of cartrucks.

B are the wheels of the truck.

0 is a brake-lever, in this instance shown as pivoted to the cross-barof the frame, having connecting-bar D extending to the operating-shaftfor the motorman or driver. The brake-lever (J is connected, preferably,on opposite sides of this pivotal point, by means of suitable rods E,with the crank-arms F upon the rock-shaft G, which are journaled inbearings at the opposite ends of the truck-frame. One of theconnecting-rods E actuates its rock-shaft through an even lever H andthe chain connection I, while the other one may connect directly withthe rock-arm. Any suitable connection orbrake-operating means may beemployed, the one shown being only a simple form for effecting theresult.

Upon the rock-shafts G are the heads K, in which are swiveled the shoesL, one for each rail on each rock-shaft. The construction which I preferis shown in the drawings,

in which the heads K are shown as provided with rearwardly-extendinglugs 0r ears M, and the shoe is provided with a projection or arm N,which goes between these lugs, and the vertical pivot-pin 0 passesthrough the three parts to form the pivot on which the shoe swivels. Theshoe itself has the curved braking-face P and the flange or flanges Q atthe edges.

In case this brake is intended to be used in connection with a groovedrail for street-railways the shoes are provided with a single flange,toothed or notched, as shown in the drawings, so that it will enter thegroove of the rail and clean out any dirt there may be therein wheneverthe brake is applied, or by a very light application of the brake theflange may be run into the groove for the purpose of simply cleaning outthe groove without ap plying the brake at all. By making a curvedbearing-surface P on the shoe I maintain substantially a uniform surfaceregardless of; the exact height of the rock-arm. It will be seen by thisconstruction, in which I employ a rocking swiveled trailing shoe, thatthe brake may be applied upon a straight rail as well as upon a curvedtrack. I may, and pref erably do, employ some meansfOljIlEtllllifilIling the shoe normally in line with the wheel, and thismay be either an inclined hingejoint, such as is employed on gate hingesfor swinging a gate to a central point, or a preferable construction isthe use of a spring, such as shown in Fig. 3, for this purpose. Anysuitable means may be employed for maintaining the shoes normally abovethe level of the track. I have shown a spring T, connected to one of therock-arms F, for effecting this result and for returning the shoes totheir normal position after each operation.

WVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In a car-brake, the combinationwith a rock-shaft and actuating means therefor, of a shoe mounted on theshaft so as to be held from vertical movement relative to the shaft andso as to have a lateral swinging movement, the shoe adapted to be movedinto con tact with the rail by the rocking of the shaft, substantiallyas described.

2. In a car-brake, the combination of a rockshaft, a head secured to therock-shaft and movable therewith and extending rearwardly therefrom, abrake-shoe pivoted to the head a rail, and means for normally holdingthe shoe in line with the rail,substantially as described.

3. In a car-brake, the combination with a rock-shaft, and means foractuating the same, of a head secured to the shaft and movabletherewith, a brake-shoe pivoted in said head to have alaterally-swinging movement and held from vertical movement relative tothe head, said shoe having a curved braking sur face, and the guideflange or flanges, substantially as described.

4. In a car-brake, the combination of a rockshaft, means for operatingthe same, a head or arm secured rigidly to said shaft and rotatabletherewith and a shoe mounted on said head. or arm to have a lateralswing and held from vertical movement relative to the shaft,substantially as described.

In'testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CORNELIUS BRESNAHAN. Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, OTTO F. BARTHEL.

